Alumni Group Insights: What makes them successful?

Alumni groups (clubs, chapters, networks, etc.) represent your alumni association’s brand “in the field.” They’re recruiting students. They’re hosting events all over the world. Perhaps they’re even raising money. What makes clubs successful? What are their biggest challenges, and how can staff members best assist these passionate volunteers? In this episode of Advancement Live, Kim Brown chats with Alumni Spaces’ Andrew Cafourek on the findings from the 2017 Alumni Group Survey, as well as with Sonja Watkins Kelly, who’s charged with alumni club management for Cornell University.

Episode Host

Kim Infanti

Kim Infanti enjoys being a connector and finding new ways to foster relationships using social media. She is the Director of Strategic Communications and Digital Engagement in Syracuse University’s Office of Alumni Engagement. Prior to joining the alumni office, Kim oversaw alumni programs in Syracuse University’s Career Services office. One of her proudest accomplishments during that time was creating the @WorkingOrange Twitter handle, a concept that many peer institutions have since modeled.

Guests

Andrew Cafourek

Andrew Cafourek is co-founder of Alumni Spaces, the company that conducted the 2017 Alumni Group Survey. University alumni associations use the Alumni Spaces platform to empower and engage their member groups while expanding their active donor base. Andrew handles the technical and product-focused sides of the company, leading a collaborative international team of top-notch developers and designers to deliver useful, approachable and scalable tools for clients.

Sonja Watkins Kelly

Sonja Watkins Kelly is a Senior Associate Engagement Officer in Regional Programs at Cornell University. She has worked with alumni around the world, covering all regions, except New York, for over 18 years and is currently supporting the alumni and their club activity from Saskatchewan to Texas, Utah to Kentucky; fledgling to robust, and everything between. Sonja’s goal is to capitalize on the strong bond alumni have with Cornell University by helping volunteer leaders keep the Cornell spirit alive in their local communities.